Game of chance



Nov. 19, 1957 J. A. BASCLE'.

GAMEOF CHANCE Filed Jan. 17, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H gI/ 2 INVENTCR JOSEPH A. BASGLE MM WW ATTORNEYS J. A. BASCLE GAME OF CHANCE Nov. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1.955

INVENTOR m M m. 0 n 5 A W 4w MW E m w w nited The present invention relates to game of chance and refers more particularly to a novel form of game in which a buoyant ball or other form of game piece is released to float haphazardly upon the surface of a confined body of liquid substantially centrally of a target ring having difierently identified sections extending in a circular sequence about the margin of the liquid level against which the ball or game piece is adapted to make contact by chance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of chance device which may constitute a game unto itself or which may be employed to control the movement of game pieces in other types of games which are well known and in which game pieces progress from an origin point to a destination through stages which are controlled by the fortuitous contact of the buoyant ball with one of the sections of the target ring.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved game of chance in which by a delayed action the ball or buoyant game piece is released substantially centrally upon the surface of the liquid only after a preselected interval of time after the starting mechanism has been initially set in motion to give the operator ample opportunity to replace the cover upon the vessel containing the liquid in order to shut off influencing air currents from the floating ball or game piece and also to permit the surface of the liquid to become quiescent so that these external forces will not unduly influence the motion of the ball or game piece toward any given section of the target ring.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved game of chance in which the elimination of influencing air currents and liquid motion is to a certain extent dependent upon the skill of the operator in manipulating the release device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a game of chance, pursuant to one form thereof, and constructed in accordance with the present invention with the release device in the upper position and the cover in place.

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view taken on the line 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the release device in the dropped position.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 44 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on an enlarged scale on the line 55 in Figure 3, with parts broken away.

Figure 6 is a vertical central sectional view taken through a modified form of device in which the target Patent 0 2 ring is formed upon an inturned flange of the mouth of the vessel for containing the liquid.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on a much magnified scale on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a still further modified form of device in which the target ring is carried by the cover.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and for the present tothat form of invention shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, 10 designates a tumbler, jar or other form of container, preferably of transparent plastic material having a thickened substantial or reinforced bottom section 11, centrally of which is an uplifted boss 12 having a socket 13 therein which opens upwardly.

The lower end of a guide rod 14 is adapted to be removably and snugly fitted into the socket 13, an enlarged collar or stop 15 on the guide rod 14 encountering the upper end of the boss 12 before the lower end of the guide rod 14 has penetrated all the way to the bottom of the socket 13. This construction and relationship of parts permits the enlarged collar 15 to rest upon the boss 12. The snug fit of the lower portion of the guide rod 14 in the socket 13 and the wide purchase afforded by the collar 15 with the entire upper surface of the boss 12 stabilizes the guide rod 14 to a substantially vertical and central position within; the container 10.

Slidably mounted on the guide rod 14 is a locating cup 16 open at its upper end and having an internal diameter substantially greater than that of the external diameter of the rod 14. A shank or hollow sleeve 17 extends downwardly from the cup 16. This shank has an internal diameter which is somewhat in excess of the external diameter of the rod 14. In other words the sleeve has a loose fit upon the rod 14.

The cup 16 and its shank 17 are adapted to be lifted to an elevated position on the rod 14, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 where the internal space of the cup 16 is above the upper end of the rod 14, and is thus unobstructed to receive a float ball or other form of buoyant game piece 18.

Fitted into the interior of the receptacle 119 at its upper portion is a target ring composed of a vertical flange 19 and a horizontal flange 20. This ring may be of resilient or plastic or other material. Where the external wall of the container 10 tapers downwardly as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the ring may be simply inserted in the container and pushed downwardly until it arrives at a binding position upon the wall of such receptacle. The diameter of the ring 19, 20 is such that such ring will be maintained in the upper portion of the container 10 in a position at or near the surface level 21 of a body of liquid contained in the receptacle 10 on which the ball or game piece 18 is adapted to float and be supported.

The upper end of the container 11) is removably closed by transparent cover 22 having a downturned marginal flange 23 which fits about the upper edge of the wall of the container to maintain the cover in place.

It will be understood that the upper surface of the flange 21) of the target ring will be inscribed with suitable indicia or graduated markings. Such markings may be graduated by increments, letters, numbers or degrees of identification.

In operation, the cup 16 will be elevated to the upper positions, for instance as indicated in Figures 1 and 2 and the ball 18 inserted in such cup. This is done manually by the operator after first removing the cover 22. This is the initial or origin position in which the hand of the operator will maintain the cup 16 steady and against movement. The raising of the cup 16 from its submerged position will necessarily agitate the liquid in the receptacle to some extent and the operator will wait a predetermined interval of time to permit the liquid to subside. He will also be very careful to avoid tipping or jarring the container. He will also observe these cautions when later he replaces the cover 22 upon the receptacle 1!).

At a favorable moment when the liquid has become completely quiescent and without disturbing the air above the surface 21 of the liquid and within the upper portion of the receptacle 10, the operator will very carefully release the cup 16 from his fingers, will hastily redraw his hands or fingers from the upper portion of the container 10 and will replace the cover 22 as fast as practicable.

A time interval is provided between the start of these manual operations and the release of the ball 18 from the cup on to the surface 21 of the liquid by the delaying action incident to the descent of the cup 16 and its shank 17 upon the rod 14. It will be noted that the lower end of the shank 17 is completely open. The upper end of this shank 17 is also open so that it communicates with the interior space of the cup 16. In the act of sliding down the rod 14, due to the loose fit of the shank 17 upon the rod, liquid will be forced up through the internal bore of the shank 17. As the space about the rod 14 and within the shank 17 is a constricted one, the descent of the cup 16 will be controlled by the rate of fluid passing through the sleeve 17. By preselecting the internal diameter of the sleeve 17 with relation to the external diameter of the guide rod 14, the time period required for the descent of the cup 16 can be nicely governed. The time period elapsing from the moment of release of the cup 16 until the upper rim of the cup 16 passes completely below the surface 21 of the liquid so as to free the ball 18 completely from any interference with the cup 16, is the material and relevant time interval involved, because at the termination of this interval the ball 18 will be free to move on the surface 21 of the liquid. The cup 16 and its shank 17 will continue to descend until the lower end of the shank encounters and rests upon the wide collar as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Here the cup and the shank will remain until the ball 18 has made contact with the ring flange 20. The numher, letter or other designation of the circular section of the target ring at which the ball 18 first touches will be read off and this number, letter or other designation may determine the award of a prize or it may indicate the number of paces a game piece is to be moved from origin to destination.

The clearance between the shank 17 and the guide rod 14 may be preselected to create a delayed period of approximately one minute between the time of placing the cup in the starting position (Figures 1 and 2) and the submerged position of Figures 3 and 5. During this time the operator has sufiicient time to replace the cover on the tumbler and to also allow the fluid to become calm. Thus the cup automatically settles the float-ball 18 in the central position to the target ring 19, as a starting point.

After the ball 18 has made contact with the target ring, the operation is concluded and the operator may thereupon remove the cover 22 which will give him access to the upper end of the rod 14. He may thereupon lift out the rod 14, removing the same from the socket 13. In so doing he will of course also lift the collar 15 which is atfixed to the rod 14, and which collar supports the shank 17 and the cup 16. Therefore the rod 14 and the cup 16 and shank 17 as a unit may be all lifted up out of the container. Similarly they may be assembled on the exterior of the container 10 and re-assembled in sequence to reestablish starting arrangement as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

It will be noted that when the cup 16. is moved downwardly, or rather drops by gravity, from the position of Figures 1 and 2, as it passes downwardly of the rod 14, the upper end of the rod will encounter the ball 18 and hold the same in an arrested position while the cup 16 continues to descend. In other words the stationary rod 14 will eject the ball 18 from the downwardly travelling cup 16. This will assure the release of the ball 18 upon the surface of the water as indicated in Figure 3.

Referring more marticularly to Figures 6 and 7, a modified form of the invention shows the target ring 20 as an inwardly turned section of the transparent plastic jar 10 In this instance 22 designates the transparent plastic removable top or cover. The target ring 20 preferably extends downwardly and inwardly from the upper edge of the jar with its lower free edge at or close to the surface level of the water or other liquid contained in the jar 10 The target ring 20* preferably tapers downwardly and inwardly of the jar in order that the indicia borne by this ring may be readily read while looking vertically downward through the transparent cover 22*.

Figure 7 shows this visibility of the target ring 20 when viewed from above, the view being magnified for purposes of clarity.

Referring more particularly to Figures 8 and 9, a further modification is herein shown in which the target ring 20 is made up as a part of the removable plastic transparent cover 22*. This cover 22 is removably fitted to the jar 10 This target ring 20 is also slanted downwardly and inwardly of the container when the cover 22 is in place as shown in Figures 8 and 9. A glass or plastic or other transparent cover 24 is adapted to be received into the inner flange 25. Where the cover 24 is of glass, it may be removable from the cover ring 22 When made of plastic the member 24 may be cemented to the flange 25. The depth of this flange 25 will be sufficient to receive the glass or plastic cover 24.

It will be appreciated that the invention affords an inexpensive game of chance in which a floating object is automatically located on a calm body of liquid and during which said floating object is automatically freed from a central position to a target ring.

The invention also provides a reservoir in combination with the mechanical features illustrated and described, which reservoir has an easily applied cover, said cover being of a transparent material for easy vision and said cover also acting to shield the liquid against disturbance by wind or air currents.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known to me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A game of chance comprising a receptacle for a body of liquid, a target ring having annularly separated sections with separate designations thereon, a buoyant member adapted to float on the surface of the body of liquid and to move into contact with the ring, a cup adapted to receive the member in an initial upper position of the cup whereby to originally orient the member with reference to the ring, and means on which the cup may slide downwardly to free the member to the surface of the liquid, said member being mounted in the receptacle in a substantially central position with respect to the ring.

2. A game of chance comprising a receptacle for containing a body of liquid, at target ring mounted in the receptacle in the proximity to the surface of the liquid, a buoyant member adapted to ride on the surface of the liquid and to contact the ring haphazardly, a downwardly moving centering device for the member to release the member to the liquid in a central position with respect to said ring, and a transparent removable cover for the receptacle adapted to shield the member and surface of the liquid from air currents.

3. A game of chance comprising a receptacle for a body of liquid, a target ring in the receptacle at or about the surface of the liquid, a guide rod in the receptacle substantially centrally of the ring, a cup slidable vertically on the guide rod, and a buoyant member initially receivable in the cup to center the same and released to the liquid by the downward movement of the cup.

4. A game of chance comprising a receptacle for a body of liquid, a target ring extending about the receptacle at or near the surface of the liquid, a buoyant member adapted to ride on the surface of the liquid and to contact the ring, a guide rod mounted substantially centrally of the receptacle, a cup having a portion loosely fitted to the guide rod and adapted to descend by gravity on the rod in a delayed action incident to the enforced retarded flow of the liquid between the cup and guide rod, said cup adapted to receive the buoyant member when in a raised position to center the member with respect to the ring, and a removable cover for the receptacle adapted to shield the buoyant member and surface of the liquid from ambient air currents adapted to be replaced upon the receptacle following manual release of the cup before the time interval has elapsed when the cup frees the buoyant member to the surface of the liquid.

5. A game of chance comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a body of liquid, an upstanding socket in the central portion of the bottom of the receptacle, a guide rod having its lower end fitted removably in said socket, a cup slidably mounted on the guide rod and having a loose fit thereabout, a float member adapted to be received and centered by the cup in the upper position of the cup and to be released to the surface of the liquid on the descent of the cup, and a target ring in the receptacle surrounding the zone where the float member is released.

6. A game of chance comprising a receptacle for containing 21 body of liquid, a socket upstanding from a central portion of the bottom of the receptacle, a guide rod having its lower end fitted removably in the socket, a collar on the lower portion of the guide rod spaced above the lower end thereof and adapted to contact the upper end of the socket, a cup slidably and loosely fitted about the guide rod and adapted to descend to a submerged position on said collar, a float member adapted to be received in the cup and centered thereby in the upper position of the cup and to be released by the descent of the cup to the surface of the liquid, and a target ring in the receptacle surrounding the zone at which the float member is released.

7. A game of chance comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a body of liquid, a target ring mounted in the receptacle adjacent the surface level of the liquid and comprising a flange adapted to engage the side wall of the receptacle and to bind the target ring in place thereto and a second substantially horizontal flange extending inwardly from the first mentioned flange and bearing indicia thereon, a transparent removable cover for the receptacle through which the indicia on the target ring may be viewed from above, and a float member adapted to ride on the surface of the liquid and to contact the target ring.

8. A game of chance comprising a receptacle for a body of liquid, at target ring adjacent and substantially surrounding a surface level thereof, a buoyant member adapted to float upon the liquid surface, container means restricting said buoyant member within said target ring, and means for automatically removing said container means after a predetermined time, whereby said buoyant member is subsequently free to float upon the liquid surface toward said target ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 105,468 Marais July 19, 1870 571,997 Fall Nov. 24, 1896 990,439 Hill Apr. 25, 1911 1,389,611 Wood et a1 Sept. 6, 1921 

